Chapter 9

"Please have mercy!" The woman yelled, she kneelled infront of the man and bowed her head her forehead almost touching the ground.

The woman tremble in fear as her heart beat faster and faster by the second, tears flow down her cheeks. She beg the man with all her heart but the man showed no mercy. He just looked at her with a stoic face.

The woman more than her fear for her life is that she feared for the life of her son, who was being held hostage by a man she very well knew and even admire for a long time.

Her heart ache for her son, not even being born for a year yet he have to suffer such tragic fate.

"I'll do anything! please! just let my son live!" The woman said in anguish tormented by the decision she has to make.

"This is for my child, I'll make sure that no one gets in way...."

The woman looked at the man with a confuse look [What does he mean by---]

"NOOOOOO!!!!!!"

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"My lady, please don't run!" Rose and Cynthia yelled as they follow Leonna.

"Lesson's over! I want to see dad!" Leonna yelled back as she stormed out of the library, both hands at each side holding the hem of her dress up.

Winston who was just teaching Leonna chuckled as he shook his head from side to side. "Leave her be, at the very least she's running like a noble lady."

Martha sigh as she stared at Leonna's back, she thought back at when Leonna first came to the Viosta Dukedom she remember how she ran in both hands and feet "Youre right...its a work in progress." Martha stated.

When Leonna reached the very end of the hall on the second floor where Leon's office is located, she didnt bother to knock for Leon said that she didnt need to knock. She tiptoe to reach the door knob to open the door.

"Daaaad!!" She yelled with all her might as she sprinted towards Leon. Leon welcomed her with open arms.

"Little cub. How's your lesson?" Leon asked as he carried Leonna and sat her to his lap. This has been a routine for Leon, ever since Leonna started her lessons their father-daughter time has lessen so he always wait eagerly for Leonna to come to his office when she's finished with her noble lessons.

"Boring." Leonna answered as she rummage through the papers on Leon's desk. Leon chuckled at his beloved daughter.

"Boring? the lessons or Winston?" Leon asked.

"Both."

With Leonna's answer laughter filled the room as Leon laugh at his heart's content. He was laughing so hard that a tear slid down the corner of his eye.

"Dad, I want to see your mist again!" Leonna stated with anticipation, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Leon cough a few times to regain his posture, as he blush in embarrassment. "Again? this is the hundredth time this week." Leon said smilling in awe of his daughter.

"But its beautiful!! I want to see it everyday!"

Leon was surprised at Leonna's statement. He stared at his daughter who was looking at him straight in the eyes.

Leon couldnt contain himself, he bent down half of his body just enough to reach Leonna's forehead and planted a small kiss on it.

Leonna grntly toich hrr forehead as she blush in embarrassment.

"No one has ever said that my mist is beautiful. Youre the first one." He said shuffling her long curly red hair.

For people of the Ruby Kingdom Leon's mist is considered as a curse a magic only good for killing. Leon also thought so too, but ever since Leonna learned about his magic she kept on pestering him to show his magic to her because its 'pretty'.

Leon snap his finger and just like magic a mist blackest as black could be, suddenly covered the entire mansion.

The mist devoured the light slowly, even the sillouette of the furnitures did not receive any mercy.

Leonna looked up the ceiling her eyes sparkled in admiration "Pretty...." She mumbled but enough for Leon to hear.

[Winston said that Dad's black mist is not really a black mist, it was once called 'Niger ignis' or The Eternal black fire' he said that the mist is only one of a sub property of the Eternal Black Fire. Winston didnt really elaborate the Niger Ignis but he did said that Dad often use the mist because the Niger Ignis is much to powerful to use. The Black mist is not an ordinary smoke, its a living being with its own mind and desire, and dad manage to tame it. The black mist's power is to go inside your body and block any possible airway and if Dad desires it to be the black mist can also release a poison while its inside your body...] Leonna thought.

The black mist truly is terrifying.

"Im curious, little beast. Whats so beautiful about the black mist?" Leon asked as he also stared at the mist on the ceiling.

"Your mist is like the night sky, dad. Scary but beautiful, dark but bright at the same time."

Leon was dumbfounded. His heart was over joyed for some reason. He smiled in content watching Leonna admire his mist powers.

"Master!!!"

Winston suddenly burst through the door, huffing and puffing air.

Leon and Leonna looked at him weirdly. "Why are you out of breath Winston?" Leonna asked.

"Your grace! your mist is suffocating everyone on the west and east mansion! please retract your mist immediately!" He yelled.

[Oh so thats why he looks out of breath. I thought the mist only covered the room.] Leonna thought.

"Tsk. Fine." Leon stated before dismissing his mist from the air. Everything went back to normal.

Winston sigh in relief holding his chest, "Thank you for your mercy, your grace."

"Is that all Winston? if so then get out." Leon stated fiercly. "No your grace, I came here to deliver a message from the emperial palace. The Emperor calls for your presence."

Leon knitted his eyebrow at the sudden message "What does that good for nothing needs from me now?"

"If I were to guess your grace, maybe the Emperor wants an update on Lady Leonna's debut?"

"My debut?" Leonna ask curiously, she tilted her head pointing her finger at herself. "Yes. My lady, in a couple of days your father will announce you to the entire kingdom as the lady of the Viosta Dukedom." Winston answered.

"Really?! I can finally go out?!" Leonna asked enthusiastically.

[She must have been bored being locked up inside the house.] Leon thought.

"Just bare with it for a few more days Little Cub.." Leonna nodded in response happily.

Leon then shifted his attention to Winston "Have you heard from 'him' yet."

Instantly Winston knew who Leon was talking about he nodded before responding "Yes your grace, he's on his way back. I did sent him a message that he better be here before lady Leonna's debut or else..."

"Good."

"Who's him?" Leonna asked, Leon patted her head "You'll know soon."

[No one wants me to know anything!] Leonna thought before pouting his pinkish lips in frustration.

Leon grabbed her cheeks and played with it by poking it.

"Your grace, the emperor is waiting....."

"Tsk." Leon hissed. "I'll be back by dinner little Cub."

"huh? but---." Leonna answered with a low and sad voice.

Leon contemplated on going, seeing his daughter sad and blue made him want to stay, he was about to tell Leonna that he wasnt going anymore but Winston interrupted.

"My lady, why dont you go to the kitchen and help Martha and the others prepare dinner?" Winston said trying to cheer the little lady up.

It looks like it work because Leonna's mood instantly lighten up. "Really? I can go to the kitchen?"

"There is no place in this mansion that you cant go to, my little cub. Everything that I have is yours and everything that you want to have will be yours." Leon stated firmly.

"Really?" Leonna asked unconvinced. Leon smiled at her "Of course. Is there something that you want?"

"Yes! I want to go to the kitchen and make my own cookies!" Leonna beamed.

[I remeber eating cookies that Martha made, it was pretty and delicious. I wonder is I can make one myself?]

Leon laughed at how adorable his daughter is.

"Will you let me have a taste of it?"

"Yes! I'll make you the best cookies in the world!" Leonna said with determination. Her father patted her head "I'll look forward to it."

"My lady, let me escort you to the kitchen."

Leonna nodded in response, Winston offered his hand to Leonna. She look at it for a good second before accepting it.

[Ahh...my lady is so adorable.] Winston thought as they made their way to the kitchen.

When they arrive at the kitchen Leonna saw Martha, Rose and Cynthia preparing dinner.

"Greetings my lady." The three maids greeted Leonna, they bow in respect.

"Rise." Leonna said then she looked at Winston with a proud look.

Winston was the one who thought her that. Winston gave Leonna a thumbs up.

"Now my lady, tell them what you want." Leonna nodded, she looked at the three maids and with grace and poise she said "I want to make cookies. I need your assistance."

"Yes my lady." The three maids replied. "This way my lady." Martha directed Leonna to the kitchen counter.

"Cynthia, Get the ingredients needed for baking cookies." Martha stated.

"Yes madam." Cynthia answered and obediently obeyed her superior.

"My lady, would like to sit on the counter?" Rose asked. "Yes please." Leonna answered gullibly.

Rose laughed as she helped Leonna sat up on the tall kitchen counter.

Just as then, Cynthia came back with all the ingredients that they need to make cookies.

"What kind of cookies do you wish to make my lady?" Cynthia asked. "Chocolate Cookies!"

[Dad loves sweets. Im sure he'll like chocolate cookies.] Leonna thought.

Leonna and her three maids started to make the cookies that Leonna wants. They gave Leonna instructions on how to do it and Leonna made it herself, from mixing the ingredients to baking it to decorating the cookies.

"It looks beautiful my lady!" Martha stated as she patted Leonna's head. Leonna blushed in embarrassment.

"You think so? will Dad like it?" Leonna stared at the cookied she baked..

"Ahmm if you don't mind me asking my lady, what shape is it?" Rose asked, Martha and Cynthia gave her a nudge on a stomach.

"Its a mist..A mist shape cookies!" Leonna said happily.

"So thats why its black and wiggly shape....." Cynthia mumbled, Martha looked at her with dagger eyes as if saying not to hurt Lady Leonna's feelings.

"Is it ugly?" Leonna's mood suddenly became sad as she stared at her cookies.

While making the cookies Leonna thought of her Father's mist, so she made a mist like shape cookies even though she knew that a mist doesnt really have a concrete shape she tried to make it look like a mist as best as she could, she then covered it with a black frosting to copy Leon's black mist.

Martha, Rose and Cynthia Flinch. They started to panic, they knew that if Leonna cried their life is as good as over.

"My lady, Im sure the Grand Duke will love whatever you make for him." Martha said as she tried to lighten Leonna's mood.

"Really?" Leonna asked unsurely, the longer she stare at her cookies the more she doubt her cooking skills.

"Of course my lady." Martha said, that seems to boost Leonna's confidence.

When Dinner time came, Leonna couldnt wait to see Leon. With a plate of cookies in hand Leonna made his way out the kitchen, she was about to head towards the Dinning hall when she saw Winston.

"My lady, Grand Duke Leon is waiting for you at the Garden." Winston said slightly bowing. Leonna tilted her head in confusion "Garden? Its dinner time."

"Master Leon said it would be good for you to see other places in the mansion, so today he wants to have dinner with you on the garden." Winston explained he then notice what lady Leonna's carrying.

"My lady is that....."

Before Winston finish what he was about to say, Leonna gave him the biggest smile "Its cookies! I made it myself, well with Martha, Rose and Cynthia's help of course!"

[What kind of cookies are that?] Winston wanted to asked Leonna, but he wouldnt dare hurt Leonna's feelings.

So he smiled wearily "That looks amazing my lady, Master Leon would love it."

"Im excited to show dad what I made!" Leonna said happily, both of them then made their way to the garden.

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Author's note: Early update. hehe.

[End of Chapter]